DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on July 16, 2026 has been entered and considered; however, the application is not in condition for allowance because of the following.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent 10,355,252 to Matsuura et al in view U.S. Patent 11,251,497 to Goldin et al.
Regarding claims 1-2 and 4-8, Matsuura et al discloses a method for making a battery can (10), comprising: identifying as target capacity of an internal battery volume (inherent because the must have predetermined specification for producing a high dimensional accuracy battery see Col. 10, lines 1-10); generating a prismatic model (drawings) of the battery can (10), wherein the battery can includes a first portion (12) having a first contour and a second portion (30/40) having a second contour (see Fig. 6A); producing each of a first portion blank and a second portion blank, using a first manufacturing process (cutting, see Fig. 6A), wherein the first portion (12) is separate from the second portion blank (30/40); modifying each of the first portion blank bending/shaping) and the second portion blank (30/40 having step 17), using a second manufacturing process (folding by die/mold/trimming routing), to create the first portion having the first contour and the second portion having the second contour (17, see Fig. 6B); joining the first portion having the first contour and the second portion having the second contour, using a third manufacturing process (welding by laser welding, see Col. 10, lines 4-9 create seam welding as shown in Fig. 3E) to define the internal battery volume; and inspecting the battery can to verify the joining between the first portion and the second portion at the contour portions (inherent since visual inspection are always required in manufacture high quality product).
If Applicant disagrees to the position of the Examiner regarding the inherency of
the claimed limitation. Goldin et al disclose a method of manufacturing a prismatic
battery including inspecting the assembling of the two welding case of the battery (see
Fig. 6, step 545) for quality control. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary
skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the
invention of Guen by utilizing the step of inspecting the welding join between the first
portion and second portion as taught by Goldin et al for quality assurance of a product.
Regarding claim 3, Goldin et al disclose the step of laser cutting process using a
high precision laser cutting process to produce the first portion blank and the second
portion blank (see Col. 21, lines 47-49).
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuura et al in view of Goldin et al as applied above, and further in view of U.S. Patent 12,512,539 to Guen
Matsuura/Goldin as applied and relied above do not disclose the vent hole and insulating the on inside and outside surface and seam of the battery can. Guen teaches the method of manufacturing a battery can having the safety vent (153) and applying an insulation coating on one or more of an inside surface, an outside surface and a seam of the battery can (see Col. 4, lines 43-47) for safety and insulating the battery can from the electrode assembly therein. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention Matsuura/Goldin by utilizing the process of insulation coating on one or more of an inside surface, an outside surface and a seam of the battery can and providing the vent as taught by Guen for providing safety standard of the battery and isolation between the battery can and electrode assembly therein.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/DN/ /DONGHAI D NGUYEN/September 19, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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